For a Demon to Cry
by GoldenGryffen
Summary: Were I only strong enough to draw a more powerful bow, she thought, not for the first time.  She closed her eyes, willing herself to forget the demoness that she knew must almost certianly be on top of her, claws keen and ready to kill.
1. The Green Eyed She Demon

**A/N--I do not own Inuyasha, nor any of it's characters. I'm just borrowing them for a littl bit to help me though my own writer's block. I do, however, own this plot, and any original characters that might come of it.**

**This is my first Fan Fiction, so please Read and Review, but please don't flame :) **

**Enjoy! I hope...**

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"_Kagome_!" The hanyou's voice had an unusually rough edge to it, a gutteral cry borne of sheer desperation as the winged she-demon bore down upon her, razor-sharp claws raking wildly at the young miko, her pearly fangs bared. The demoness' unearthly green and copper flecked eyes were rimmed with a blazing blood red, a sign that Kagome had come to understand was a demon's pure rage made manifest. Kagome scrambled back a few paces, last fall's browning leaves crunching hollowly beneath her soles, her bow clutched tightly in one hand. The other hand was over her shoulder, frantically searching for an arrow in the quiver slung haphazardly over one shoulder.For a few heart-wrenching moments, her grasping fingers met with empty air. 

_No! This simply could not be! Where were her arrows?_ She could vividly recall filling the quiver just a few short days ago, and they had not had an unusually large number of fights in the intervening days... _Not many that Inuyasha couldn't handle with ease, anyway_... Desperation rapidly turned to relief as her searching fingers brushed the smooth polished wood, the shaft of the arrow strangely warm to her touch. _Odd, she did not remember blessing any of the arrows_.

She drew a deep breath, steadying herself just as Kaede had taught her. She nocked the arrow, pulling the bowstring back as far as her slight frame would allow. _Were I only strong enough to draw a more powerful bow_, she thought, not for the first time. She closed her eyes, willing herself to forget the demoness that she knew must almost certainly be on top of her, her claws keen and ready to kill.

_Forget that, Kagome!_ She chided herself. _Forget about the demoness..._ _Focus on sensing the sacred energies all around you, just as Kaede told you... _Eyes still tightly closed, she suddenly felt her awareness expand beyond her physical body. _Is this feeling..._ _my sacred power?_ The thought came to her, unbidden. _Is this how Kikyou..._ She cut the thought off before it was fully formed, feeling her power waver for a heartbeat at the mere notion of Kikyou.

_Enough! Focus! Draw the energies around ye into yerself, Kagome!_ She could hear Kaede's voice in her mind._ Draw them into yerself, and focus them at the tip of the arrow, child!_ She strove to obey the woman's voice echoing in her head, drawing the energies of the earth around her up through the soles of her shoes and directly into her body. She could feel the wild energy flooding through her body, and was dizzied by the power she held within herself. Kagome forced her spiritual energies into the arrow, feeling the thin shaft pulsate with the power she had just imbued it with. As she loosed the arrow, all the strength left her body, rendering her exhausted and very vulnerable to the demoness' attack. _Please, Inuyasha_... she prayed, _please make it to me in time to prevent this raging she-demon from tearing me to shreds..._

_Thunk..._

Time seemed to hang motionless as the arrow struck home, tearing through the demoness' chest. Only now, in this instant, could the wearied miko get a truly good look at this murderous beast. She felt her breath catch in her throat as she beheld the creature before her. _What manner of demon is she? I know that I'm not exactly an expert on demons, but I have never seen one anything like this one..._

Her basic shape was that of a human, though that was were the resemblance ended. Long, pearlescent hair hung in shimmering waves to her willowy waist, refracting the light into blue and lavender shadows. A triangular pair of ears--not all that unlike the hanyou's--graced the top of her head, though they were larger and much more pronounced than Inuyasha's canine ears. A pair of iridescent wings protruded from her back, and she bore a lion-like tail. The beast's green and copper eyes were wide in surprise. _She hadn't expected to take a sacred arrow from a miko's bow,_ Kagome thought, a bit smugly. _Perhaps it won't be so long before I am more than a match for most demons..._ Her congratulatory thoughts were abruptly cut short as she noticed the heavy swell of the she-demon's stomach.

_She was... pregnant...?_ Kagome felt her stomach suddenly lurch. And then her gaze was drawn farther, past the dying demoness and into the grassy clearing they had found her in. A horrified pair of amber eyes peered around the grizzled trunk of an ancient tree.

_Oh no... Surely not..._

Her heart sank into despair as a distraught young demon-girl burst from her hiding spot, sobbing as she ran to the stricken demoness. _The she-demon had not been trying to kill her out of mindless bloodlust..._ _She had attacked to protect her offspring, both her young daughter and her unborn baby..._ The enormity of what she had just done hammered into the miko.

_I've just killed a mother who only wanted to protect her children from intruders..._

"Momma?" The little girl choked on the word, her tiny hands wrapping around her mother's. Slowly, the she-demon sunk to her knees on the leafy forest floor, sweeping her sobbing daughter into her embrace. Glaring at the miko, the mother demon wrapped her wing around her child, comforting the little one with her touch even as her life ebbed from her. A grimace crossed the demoness' face as the child brushed against the arrow.

Even as Kagome watched, sickened at the realization of what she had just unwittingly done, the luster left the she-demon's eyes. Her body sagged, and she sunk to the forest floor, leaving her crying daughter without a mother. "Momma? Momma?" Her cries were becoming more plaintive, her tiny hands trying frantically to shake her mother awake. "Mamma!" The little girl shrieked, realizing her mother was not going to wake up.

In a red and silver blur, Inuyasha was there, gingerly examing the fallen demoness, his clawed hands gentle as he felt for any remaining signs of life in her body. Kagome could only watch in mute horror, unable to move, unable to speak..._unable to even feel...numb..._ The half-demon's shoulders slumped, and Kagome knew that the woman was beyond salvation. Ever so tenderly, Inuyasha pulled the heartbroken child from her mother's body. "Momma..." The little girl cried, seemingly unaffected by the strange halfbreed's presence. "Momma won't wake up..." She burrowed into the sleeve of Inuyasha's hakama, and instinctively, his strong arms encircled the child, offering her what meager comfort could be had in the face of her tremendous loss.

"Shh, little one... I know..." His golden eyes somberly regarded the dead demoness, his regretful gaze lingering long upon the swell of her unborn child. _What promise had that unborn one held,_ Kagome could not help but wonder. _What would it have become, had she not taken it's mother's life? And what would become of the woman's orphaned daughter?_

"I... I..." She did not get a chance to finish, her words cut short by a choking squeal from the young demoness snuggled in the hanyou's grasp. The half-demon's eyes turned back to the distraught child in his arms. "Oh, Inuyasha... I had no idea... I didn't realize she was a mother... I didn't know..." He seemed not to hear her words, his gaze unusually contemplative and soft. His clawed hands were as gentle as a mother cat's teeth as he smoothed the child's pearlescent hair, a more pronounced silvery sheen in color than had been her mother's. Her small, soft ears drooped like a heartbroken puppy's.

"Momma... she won't wake up..." Her tiny hands tugged persistently on the half-demon's sleeve. "Please... make her wake up..."

"You're momma's gone, little one," Inuyasha sighed, the carriage of his ears mirroring the child's. "Momma's not going to wake up..."

"I'm so sorry..." Kagome could have bitten her tongue off in frustration the moment she spoke the words. She could not help but realize how horribly inadequate her apology was in the face of what she had just done to this family. She'd killed a pregnant demoness, who had obviously cared for her offspring, left her young daughter without a mother, and had insured that her nearly full-term child would never get a chance to draw it's first breath. _And all she had to offer was, "I'm sorry"?_

She instinctively reached out to the child, wishing to help comfort the lost little girl. _She could be no older than Shippou. Perhaps the young kitsune could help this suddenly motherless girl-child dear with her grief... _At any rate, caring for this poor little one would be her responsibility from now on, at least until they could find her father.

However, instead of letting Kagome touch her, the girl turned on her, snarling like a trapped wolf. Her baby claws were extended and ready to be brought to bear at a moment's notice.

_"You...took...my...momma...away..."_ The little one spat, her features oddly familiar in her rage, and despite the growling demon-child before her, Kagome's mind raced, trying to place that familiarity. She had something decidedly canine about her, though it seemed more feral...

_Almost wolf-like, really..._

_Could this girl have been sired by one of the Wolf demons? Maybe even Kouga, perhaps?_ The child's wings were spread wide, her tail lashing furiously as she fought to break free from the hanyou's grasp. "_I...want...my...momma!"_ She hissed lunging for Kagome, her wings wildly fanning the air.

"No, pup..." Inuyasha softly rebuked the child. "This fight is not for you." At his words, the child instantly calmed down, though Kagome could tell that she was not mollified. His golden eyes came to rest on the miko. "Did you not hear me? Why did you ignore me?" He was crouched before the slain demoness' body, and Kagome was dismayed to see his golden eyes go hard, a red tint creeping into them that terrified her to the very core. His fangs and claws had changed as well, growing longer and sharper than she was accustomed to. Anticipitory tingles raced up and down her spine as she realized the hanyou was changing into his full-fledged demon form.

"Inuyasha?" She managed, shifting her weight back and forth as the dog demon rose to his feet, his angry glare burning twin daggers into her. _What was wrong with him? Why was he reacting so strongly to this woman's death?_ And then she remembered that he, too, had lost his mother as a tiny child. _He was identifying with this little one... In his demon form, he was confusing that loss that he had experienced as a child with this girl's loss... He had been too young, too weak to take care of his mother, but now..._

_Now he was much stronger._

_No matter what, I will be safe from him,_ Kagome thought. _No matter how enraged, Inuyasha would never harm me..._ And then he lunged for her, growling.

"You killed her!" He snarled, his claws slashing down at her. _He was attacking her?_ For several long breaths did she stand, unable to move, unable to believe what was happening. _Was her hanyou really attacking her?_ Finally, she gathered enough of her scattered wits to her, and she dodged away from the enraged half-demon, his razor sharp claws slicing through the air where she had been a mere moment before. But she did not escape entirely unscathed, his talons tearing through the thin fabric of her sleeve and digging cleanly into her arm.

"Inuyasha!" Kagome cried out, feeling her flesh rip open, her hot blood spilling down her arm. _Why was he attacking her?_ He gave no indication of having heard her, rich red blood dripping slowly off of his claws, only to stain the fallen leaves beneath him an obscene crimson.

"_Sit!_" She screamed, desperate to get the enraged hanyou to back off. With any luck, the force of his impact with the ground would knock him out for a few moments, long enough for him to regain his senses. He shuddered at her command, but other than that...

_Nothing._

_He didn't respond to the spell..._

"_SIT_" This time louder, more desperate.

_Still nothing..._

And then he was upon her, the promise of death burning in his murderous eyes.


	2. The Shrine of the Devoted Mother

**Okay, I'm going to say it again--I do not own Inuyasha, nor any of the characters in Inuyasha. I'm just borrowing them for a little bit to help me through my own writer's block. I promise, I'll put them back just as good as new! **

**However, I do still own this plot, and any original characters that come from it.**

**I apologize for taking so long to post Chapter 2, but I got...writer's block. :(**

**As always, reviews and constructive criticism are greatly appreciated. Flaming is not.**

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_Screaming..._

_The sound reverberated through her body, echoing in her chest. Who was screaming? Why wouldn't they stop?_ Kagome wondered, her eyes squeezed tightly shut. _The sound was going to drive her mad!_ Her lungs burned, and felt like they were going to explode. Frantic, she gasped for air, the sound stopping in that very instant. Only then did she realize the truth.

_That screaming... It's me... It's me!!!_

_Inuyasha! He's going to kill me!_ Desperate to locate her attacker, her eyes went wide, scanning her surroundings for the hanyou's presence. However, instead of the sun-dappled woods, she saw only a white wall.

_What? I'm in...my room... What happened to... Where is the..._ She tried to make sense of it all, her shoulders heaving in silent sobs. She could feel the warm trails of tears as they traced their way from the corners of her doe-like eyes down her soft pink cheeks. Unwittingly, she snaked her tongue out of the corner of her mouth, tasting the saltiness of her own shed tears. _Had that all really been a dream, then? But it had been so vivid... more so than any other dream she had ever experienced..._

She glanced to her nightstand, her eyes immediately alighting on the half-drank glass of water perched near the edge of the dark wood. A ring of water had formed around the bottom, and Kagome remembered placing it there the previous evening. _So it had all been nothing more than a nightmare, although the images she had seen still haunted her mind, and would haunt her for quite some time._ She had brought down that poor she-demon without so much as sparing her a second thought, only realizing the extent of what she had done afterwards, when a heartbroken little girl was sobbing for her murdered mother. _Thank the Gods that I did not kill her..._

She sighed, sinking back into the familiar warmth of her bedding, snuggling her head deeply into the soft pink ruffles of her pillow. Though she tried to push the memories from her mind, they insisted on rising to the surface._ I was so powerful... I was able to draw upon my sacred powers more fully, and loose an arrow with such a strong blessing upon it... I know that I surely must have been at least the equal of Kikyou, if not superior. Would that I could meet up with the dead miko bearing spiritual power of that caliber! _She could not help but smile broadly at that image, picturing the indignation that would be evident upon the dead woman's normally smug countenance.

_Oh, how mad would Kikyou be to realize that she, the "master archer", was the master no longer, that the young upstart from the future had somehow managed to surpass her..._ She knew the thought was a ridiculous one, because she would never be more powerful than Kikyou. The dead miko had been trained all her life as a shrine maiden, in a time period where the threat of demon attacks was very real. And as for her, well... _My biggest daily danger is what? Maybe falling down the steps? Scalding myself in the bath? _Modern life did not make for strong spiritual powers.

_Even if I did become superior to Kikyou, I'm sure she wouldn't even give me the satisfaction of getting upset. She'd probably just make some comment that would still make me feel inferior to her..._

With a heavy sigh, Kagome sat up, her legs dangling over the side of the bed. Her mind was going to prevent her from going back to sleep this morning, that much was a guarantee. _It figures--one of the few times I have the luxury of my soft bed, and my own thoughts keep me from enjoying it!_ She slid her feet into her plush lavender slippers before making her way to the window overlooking the well house.

She smiled, watching the activity going on below her. Her mom busily swept the area around the well house, while Souta played soccer by himself. Even from her vantage point, she could see his mouth moving, and she knew that he was probably giving the blow-by-blow on the championship game being played in his imagination to any unfortunate enough to be within earshot. _Good thing I'm not down there--that drives me up the wall!_ Farther off, her Grandfather and Buyo were playing tug-of-war with something she could not identify. Whatever it was, it must be one of her grandfather's priceless "artifacts", because she could faintly hear him yelling at the cat.

Humming softly to herself, she left the window, gathering up a buttercup-colored blouse and a flowing, feminine skirt before heading into the bathroom. Rarely indeed did she get a chance to enjoy a long, peaceful soak in the tub, and she intended to take full advantage of the rest of her family being preoccupied outside.

She filled the basin as full as she could with water that was as hot as she could stand, adding a fragranced bubble bath to the water. The heady scent of sun-ripened peaches suddenly filled the room, and Kagome couldn't help but spare a thought for the sensitive nose of Inuyasha. She knew that he'd have wrinkled up his face by now, and would be complaining about how strong the scent was. _Well, it's just a good thing that I'm not going to be crossing over to the Feudal Era today! This way, I can enjoy my bubble bath without having to deal with the oversensitive sense of smell of a dog hanyou._

Oh, she had no doubt that he'd be fuming about her being gone to her own time, but she actually spent so little time with her own family and friends, that she didn't think it would really be a problem if she stole a single day for her own. Even if he thought it was a problem, then he could just deal with it for once! _Miroku, Shippou, and Sango would understand... The only one that would get bent out of shape over it would be Inuyasha._ She could only shake her head in exasperation as she disrobed, neatly folding her clothes.

Gingerly, she stepped into the tub, knowing that the heat of the water would quickly redden her fair skin. For several long moments did she simply recline against the porcelain of the tub, enjoying the sensation of the hot water leeching all the days of accumulated aches and pains out of her body. She could feel the discomforts of the Feudal Era being slowly drawn out of her very bones.

But, she could not linger here all day, much though she'd like to. She had promised to go out with her friends this morning. Eri was going to go to a shrine on the outskirts of town to leave a prayer for one of her young cousins. The poor little boy had been gravely ill for nearly a month. Upon hearing the news, one of their teachers had suggested that Eri visit the shrine, and offer her prayers to the gods. _I wish I could have been here for her when she found out..._ Her conscience had weighed heavy upon her when she had found out--after all, her friends were always there when she needed a shoulder to cry on.

Since she had been in the Feudal Era when Eri had found out, she decided to offer to accompany her friend to the shrine. The more prayers, the better, Kagome had reasoned. Before the end of the day had passed, Yuka and Ayumi had decided to go as well. She could not even begin to imagine the sorrow that weighed upon the boy's family. Annoying though Souta could be, she would be heartbroken to find out that her little brother was sick with such a serious illness.

_Nobody should have to deal with such a thing..._

She finished up her bath quickly, sobered at the task that lay before her today. After seeing so much death in the Feudal Era, and such widespread illness and disease, Kagome could not believe that it still had such a profound effect upon her. And it made her feel so helpless... _Had I mastered my sacred powers more fully, perhaps I could be of better help... Kikyou would have been able to help him.._.

_Enough!_ She stopped her line of thought right there._ Enough comparing myself to Kikyou! She's had a lifetime to learn and train! I've had what--a year? Of course my powers aren't very strong! I image Kikyou's weren't very strong either, when she was a child!_

Her mind steeled against such doubts, Kagome exited the tub, draining out the water before toweling herself off and slipping on her clean clothes. She would have a quick breakfast of whatever leftovers she could find, and then be out the door.

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"What kind of shrine is this?" Yuka queried, as the four girls made their way up the steps. "I've never even heard of it." 

"I never heard of it either," Eri answered. "But our teacher insisted that it would be a good one to come to. She says that it's a shrine dedicated to the 'Devoted Mother', whoever that is."

"Devoted Mother?" Kagome chimed in. "I've never heard of that one. Do you think maybe she was confused?"

"No, I don't think so." Eri shook her head. "She says that it's not a shrine devoted to a god, or to anything like that. It's supposed to be dedicated to some powerful avatar or something, that sacrificed herself to protect her child."

"Can an avatar of the gods even _have _children?" Ayumi asked.

"I don't know, but she said that this is where families with sick children come to pray for their recovery." Eri's soft eyes sank to the ground as she spoke.

"Then I'm sure it will work." Kagome assured her friend. "If people keep coming here to pray for her aid, then surely she must grant some kind of divine favor. Why else would they _keep_ coming?"

"Oh, Kagome! You know how to make me feel better!" Eri managed a smile, the first one Kagome had seen her wear that day. "You're right! If she didn't help out, then the people would have abandoned the shrine long ago. I just wonder why I've never heard of it until now?"

They ascended the last few steps in reverent silence, eyes looking forward curiously. _What manner of shrine could this be?_ Kagome knew that she could have asked her grandfather, but that would undoubtedly mean that he would go off on one of his long-winded and fanciful tales. Or, even worse, a tirade about how the young people today don't respect their heritage... Her mother might have known, as well, but the thought had slipped her mind until a few moments ago.

They made their way silently through the main door, a small brass bell tied to the door ringing as they entered. From across the courtyard, a middle aged man looked up, his eyes showing a wisdom beyond his years. Seeing the visitors, he smiled, waving them over.

"Good morning, girls. I am the caretaker of this shrine." This close, Kagome could see the wisdom shining in his eyes was tempered by a softness that bespoke his concern for all that came before him. "I do not usually see young girls here. Tell me, what can I do for you."

"We were told that this would be a good place to come to offer prayers for my little cousin." Eri began. "He is so sick..." She looked around, confused. "This is the shrine of the Devoted Mother, isn't it?" Only then did Kagome realize that this shrine was the most untypical one she had ever seen. Other than the gateway and the wall around the perimeter, the land had remained virtually untouched. A single great tree stood in the middle of the courtyard, with well manicured emerald-green grass surrounding it. Flowering shrubs and climbing vines had been trained around large trellises on one side of the tree, creating a very attractive alcove.

"Yes, this is the shrine you seek." The man said. "It is not a typical shrine, I know. But, it is just as powerful, and just as sacred, nonetheless."

"Where do I..." Eri began, but the caretaker anticipated her question, cutting her off before she could finish.

"She is up there." He pointed to the trellised alcove by the tree. "There is nothing formal that needs to be offered. Simply speak your prayer, and ask for her blessing. She is no goddess that needs to be petitioned." Eri nodded, and turning, slowly made her way to the tree.

"What is up there?" Yuka asked.

"I honestly don't know how best to describe it. Many think it is a sculpture of her that a master artisan has somehow managed to affix to the tree, but I do not think so. She is stone, but you can clearly make out every detail. I don't know how it could have been done, for she has no contact with the ground. The sculpture actually wraps around that tree."

"It wraps _around _the tree? What keeps it from falling? And _how_ do you wrap stone around a tree?" Kagome queried, startled.

"To the best of my knowledge, you _can't_ wrap stone around a tree." The caretaker commented. "And that's not the oddest part. That tree has not grown at all since my family took over as caretakers. It does not wither and die, but neither does it grow at all. It's like time has stopped for it entirely."

After several long minutes had passed, Eri emerged from the alcove, her eyes wide and wondering as she returned to her friends. Kagome did not think that she even recognized them as she drew nearer.

"How did you like her?" The caretaker inquired.

"She was...breathtaking..." Eri whispered. "I felt like I was surrounded by the most pure and intense love I have ever known... I have never... I don't know how to describe it... Oh, Kagome! You _must _see her!"

"What did she say to you?" The man asked Eri.

"How do you know..." She began, but paused, realizing that the caretaker must surely know all about the statue. "She told me that all will be fine..."

"Then do not worry yourself anymore, child."

Incredulous, Kagome ventured onto the grass, following the faint footsteps that Eri had left in the lush grass. _She had never felt such soft grass..._ Before she realized it, she was passing underneath the trellis and into the flowered alcove. _Such a beautiful area,_ Kagome thought, her eyes taking in all of it before she looked to the tree. Eri was right--there was such a pervasive sense of love, that she felt that nothing could ever harm her._ I could spend days here, and be perfectly content..._

Her gaze then went to the tree itself, and she felt her blood go cold as she took in the sculpture. A scream rose, unbidden, to her lips, but it died in the back of her throat before she could let it go. She fell back against the trellis, gasping in horror, feeling the acrid burn of tears gathering in her eyes.

_Staring right back at her from the tree was the she-demon she had killed in her nightmare a mere few hours earlier.._

Kagome managed a strangled squeal, and then the ground rushed up to meet her.

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**Okay, I hope you liked it! I know it wasn't nearly as fast-paced as the last chapter, but I'm used to writing novels--gotta have a few slower chapters in those, or the fast-paced chapters loose their impact! Don't worry, I'll be picking up the pace in the next few chapters.**

**And as far as that "It was just a dream..."bit? Have no fear--I don't believe in using that out for a tough chapter. Just you wait and see what's coming for our little miko! A dream it most certianly wasn't!**

**I also might be asking for a vote at the end of the next chapter or two. I have a tough choice to make, and I can run with either one of my two possible outcomes. So, I might be needing some help to decide! **

**Well, gotta run! I have a 12 Kingdoms storyline to start!**

**Hope to see you back soon!**

**GoldenGryffen**


	3. Kikyou Wouldn't Have Missed

**Author's note: Nope, Inuyasha and its characters still aren't mine. Sigh...**

**However, this plot, and any original characters which might come from it are mine:)**

**Please, read and review. As always, constructive criticism and reviews are appreciated. Flames are not.**

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"What is taking her so long?" The hanyou growled, glaring at the wood of the Bone Eater's well as thought it were directly responsible for Kagome's absence. _She knew how much he hated it when she spent so much time in her era! _Waiting on this side for her to show up frustrated him to no end! _There were things that needed to be done here! _"I don't see why she has to go running back _there_…" He snarled the last word like a curse. "…so often!."

"Inuyasha…" The monk sighed. The hanyou's sensitive ears caught the sound of metal faintly scraping against metal as Miroku shifted his weight on his staff. "You never cease to amaze me with how unthinking you really can be."

"And what of it?" The dog demon snapped, glaring irritably over his shoulder to his friend. _Feh! A fine friend, indeed! Why didn't the monk understand? They needed Kagome here, in this time!_

"Lady Kagome has gone back to her own time. She has family there, Inuyasha. She has a whole other life, a life apart from us." The monk heaved a heavy sigh as he spoke. "A life she's put on hold and neglected for far to long so that she can help us in our search. You shouldn't begrudge her a few days in the world she rightfully belongs in."

"We wouldn't need her help if she hadn't broken the Jewel in the first place!" The hanyou's golden eyes were on fire as he turned on the monk. "This whole mess is her fault!"

"MY fault?!?" Kagome's voice suddenly interjected itself into the argument and both Inuyasha and Miroku turned in the direction of the well. The young Miko was perched precariously on the lip of the well, her eyes matching Inuyasha's in intensity as she glared at the hanyou. "Explain to me again EXACTLY how the Jewel being shattered is MY fault?"

"K…Kagome?" The halfbreed stammered, caught off guard by the sudden appearance of the Miko. Her yellow backpack, stuffed to capacity, lay in the grass at her feet. "How long have you…"

"Long enough!" She hissed, scowling. "Now, tell me why the Jewel being broken is my fault!"

"Fine, wench! I will!" He quickly covered his surprise with his acerbic words. "The Jewel being broken is your fault, because you're the one who thought shooting an arrow at it would be a good idea."

"I shot the arrow at the demon crow, not the Jewel, you moron!" She retorted. "So I missed! I hit the Jewel. I had never touched a bow before in my life! What did you expect was going to happen? You're just lucky I didn't shoot you!" Inuyasha could feel the anger radiating off of her, could sense the power building in the area. "If you had been keeping a closer watch over me and the Jewel, instead of pouting like a child, maybe the stupid demon crow wouldn't have been able to take it. Some protector you were…"

"Kikyou wouldn't have missed." He grumbled.

"Inuyasha! Be fair to Kagome!" The monk interjected, trying to break up the escalating fight. "I'm sure you weren't able to wield Tetsusaiga perfectly the first time you picked it up… Why should Kagome be any different?"

Kagome's face was burning, and she opened her mouth to respond to the hanyou's snide remark, but fortunately for all, a ball of red fur bounded into her, squealing happily. "Kagome!" Shippou's little voice was filled with such a happy tone, that Kagome could not help but hug the orphan kitsune pup to her, cuddling him against her chest. Inuyasha was long forgotten as she looked into the grass green eeys of the fox pup.

Inuyasha took note of how she paused, her eyes lingering long upon Shippou's, a look of hesitancy on her face. _Something was bothering her… Something about the fox kit's eyes…_ And as for Shippou, the little kitsune looked upon the Miko with the rapt adoration of a child beholding his mother. _Heh, so the little fox had bonded with Kagome as though she were his mother…_

"I missed you Kagome!" Shippou rattled on. "What took you so long? I thought you were never going to come back… and Inuyasha has been a real pain since you left."

"Shut up!" Inuyasha growled, cuffing the fox cub sharply on the back of the head.

"Owww!" He squealed, rubbing his bruised head with his hand. "Kagome…"

"Inuyasha…" Kagome's eyes burned.

"Huh?"

"SIT!"

* * *

"What is it that troubles ye so, Kagome?" Kaede's gentle voice inquired. "Why do ye not sleep with your friends?"

"I'm not really sure." As she spoke, she softly stroked Shippou's hair. The little fox was curled up in her lap, sound asleep, a faint smile on his impish little face. The moon had risen a while ago, and Kaede's hut was lit by the brightly burning fire in the center. The wise older woman sat cross-legged across from her at the firepit.

"Ye have been very distant all evening, child. Something must be weighing heavy upon your mind. Is it the hanyou?"

"No…not really." She began. "I've had a very odd couple of days, Kaede. I'm beginning to really doubt myself." She sighed. "Honestly, I'm afraid that I might be going crazy."

"I doubt that, child. Perhaps your Miko powers are beginning to strengthen. They are wild and untrained, ye know." She idly stirred the embers with a stick. "If ye should like, I could help you learn how to properly harness those talents, Kagome."

"I would like that, Kaede, thank you." Her eyes were far distant. _Were her dreams beginning to come true, then?_ "I had this horrible dream the other night…" With no further hesitation, Kagome told the older woman of her nightmare, of how she had killed the mother demoness, and of Inuyasha's response to the incident. And then, she recalled the shrine she had visited with her friends, and of seeing the demoness she had just killed being revered in her own time as a benevolent and loving mother spirit. For her part, Kaede listened silently, nodding her head as the young Miko spoke, her voice trembling with her jumbled emotions.

"Ye do not sound mad to me, Kagome." The older woman said at length, contemplating the ripples coruscating across the surface of the tea in her cup. Her gaze never strayed from the fragrant liquid. "I am sure that it is the beginnings of your true spiritual powers beginning to manifest, child. As a Miko, ye must bridge the land of the living, and the land of the dead. It is not an easy task for anybody, let alone one such as yerself. There is so much ye must learn before ye will be able to use such visions for benefit…"

"Bridge the living…and the…dead?" Kagome repeated dully. "What do you mean?" In her lap, Shippou stirred and threatened to wake, but Kagome's gentle hand soon put him back to rest. _Sweet little pup,_ she smiled, toying with his copper locks.

"A Miko's power is purely spiritual, Kagome. It is sacred, the energy of life itself. When ye begin to call upon it more fully, ye will begin to feel the pulse of life's energies around you. Do ye understand what I am saying?"

"I believe so, Kaede." Kagome nodded her head, recalling that powerful connection she had felt with everything around her in her nightmare. "Everything has its own energies, from me, to you, to Shippou… That much I understand."

"But not just those things which are sentient, Kagome. Ye can sense the energies of the trees, the fire, and eventually, a well trained Miko will be able to sense and interact with the energies of things as far removed as the clouds. You will develop such a deep rapaport with all things natural. My sister, Kikyou had such abilities."

_Of course, Kikyou had such abilities, _Kagome thought, a little bitterly. _She was a priestess, and I am just a worthless high school student!_ For a moment did she give in to self pity, before shaking off the deep-seated sense of inferiority that washed over her.

"I rather suspect that her bond with the wild is what drew the hanyou to my sister, Kagome…" The old Miko's weary eyes moved to the half-demon, who was stubbornly seated against the wall sleeping, his sword resting lightly against his chest. "They were two of a kind--wanting desperately to belong to a kind that did not understand them, while all the while scorning that very kind for their weakness."

"Then you think this might be a glimpse of something that has yet to come to pass?" The young girl ventured at length.

"It could be. And it could be a warning to ye, Kagome, to watch out, lest reality repeat your dream. Though I am unsure why Inuyasha responded like he did, child." She paused. "Ye say the demoness' pup looked familiar?"

"She kind of reminded me of a wild dog, a wolf…"

"Then you think that little one in your dream was a wolf demon pup… Perhaps the heir of your ally, Kouga?"

"The thought had crossed my mind more than once." Kagome remarked, her eyes on the sleeping hanyou. Even though he was asleep, his brow had creased and a faint growl had escaped his throat at the mention of his rival's name. "I know that Inuyasha was acting halfway mature in the dream, so I know it's not in the immediate future."

"Most certainly not." Kaede agreed. "And in your own time, ye found the demoness sealed, and revered by the people of your village." Kagome nodded her head. "Hmm… there is much to think on, then. Do ye know anything else about the shrine where she is sealed?"

"No, though the caretaker passed me a book about the legends surrounding the place. Once I came to, that is… I haven't yet had time to look at it, but I did bring it here, along with my school work. If I have time, I would like to look it over."

"Then, perhaps it is there where ye will find the answers ye seek."

* * *

**Sorry this one took so long to get up! Between taking a bunch of commissions for my art and life in general, I haven't had time to write a word! Hopefully the next chapter will go up quicker.**

**I know I promised a kind of vote on this chapter or the next, so here it is: Who does Kagome choose? Our surly silver-haired hanyou, or our dashing young prince of the Wolf Demons? **

**I know which way I'm leaning, but maybe I can be swayed! **

**I want to hear who you think she should be paired with, and why! Make me think:)**

**And I'm also fishing for names for the green-eyed demoness. I'm looking for Japanese names that aren't overused in fiction, and I would also like the meaning of the name. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed!**

**Until next chapter,**

**GoldenGryffen**


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